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Last updated on May 16th, 2024 at 09:15 am
In the eternal debate on experiences vs material things, we stand with the former, but we always like to buy a little something from every destination we visit, as a reminder of the time we spent there, and the best souvenirs from Greece you’ll find in this guide do exactly that.
They allow you to bring a small piece of Greece back home with you, helping you to hold on to the memories of your trip to our sunny home country before you start planning your next trip there.
So, if you’re wondering what to buy in Greece, keep reading. In this list of the best souvenirs from Greece, there are suggestions for every taste. From edible goodies to traditional board games to unique items you can decorate your home with.
What they all have in common is that every single gift idea in this guide favours local products made in Greece, purchases that help boost the local economy, thus aligning with the concept of responsible travel in Greece.
A Guide To The Best Souvenirs From Greece
1. Evil Eye Charms
Dating back to Ancient Greece, the evil eye – or Kako Mati in Greek – is a supernatural force that Greeks and other people in the Mediterranean believe in. According to Greek tradition, the evil eye is caused by the envy of others. A resentful gaze is more than enough to give you the evil eye and make you feel suddenly unwell.
In Greece, the process of healing someone from the evil eye is called Xematiasma. It involves chanting a prayer, adding drops of oil to a bowl of water and the mandatory Greek Ftou Ftou spitting, a way for Greeks to ward off all evils in its own right. However, prevention is key. This is why people invented several charms against the evil eye throughout the years.
The blue-and-white eye-shaped bead is the most common talisman that older Greeks still advise their loved ones to wear to send evil spirits away and protect themselves from bad luck. Nowadays, you can find all kinds of accessories, jewels and objects with the evil eye on them at souvenir shops across Greece.
2. Worry Beads
Although worry beads – or Kompoloi in Greek – resemble prayer beads, in Greece, Kompoloi has always been nothing more than a way to pass the time and relax or a distraction to help people quit smoking. Until recently, all Greek men, especially the older ones, had a Kompoloi in their hands, playing with it either in a quiet or loud way.
Even though young Greeks consider worry beads old-fashioned, they’re still part of Greek culture. As such, Kompoloi is a great souvenir from Greece to take back home. Worry beads are made of different materials, among which amber is the most popular.
3. Greek Backgammon
Originating in Persia and the Middle East, Tavli or Greek Backgammon is one of the most popular board games in Greece. Greeks of every age love to play Tavli at a Greek kafeneio or café, making loud noises as their pieces hit their opponent’s pieces.
Tavli is played on gorgeous ornate wooden boards, perfect to decorate your home with, even if you have no clue how to play the actual game. The only downside is that Tavli boards are usually large and heavy, thus not ideal to carry around while travelling. However, you can always find a compact backgammon or have one of the larger ones delivered to your home.
4. Handmade Ceramics
Since ancient times, pottery has been one of the most important arts in Greece. Thanks to ancient ceramics, we have learned a lot about Ancient Greek civilisation. Ceramic objects vary from everyday-use objects to more refined decorative art pieces.
Several Cyclades Islands are home to some of the oldest pottery workshops. During our trip to Sifnos, we visited one of the local potteries where we bought an elegant ceramic jar for wine, one of the best souvenirs from Greece if you ask us.
5. Beach Towels
A typical souvenir in tourist shops across Greece, a beach towel is the most handy thing to buy when visiting Greece in the summer. Try to avoid the tasteless towels with giant island maps or Santorini pictures on them as these are most likely not even made in Greece. Instead, opt for stylish towels of good quality, the best souvenirs from Greece to use during your laid-back holidays.
6. Kitchen Towels & Tablecloths
Similar to beach towels, kitchen towels and tablecloths are among the best Greek souvenirs to bring back home, let alone useful. Tourist shops across Greece sell towels and tablecloths that range from massively produced to handmade ones designed by local artists.
7. Musical Instruments
Dating back to the beginning of the 20th century, the Bouzouki is the most popular Greek musical instrument. This traditional string instrument was brought to Greece by the Greeks who used to live in Asia Minor before being ousted back to Greece by the Turks. The Bouzouki became popular along with the Rebetiko music genre and it remains the main instrument in popular Greek music until today.
The Greek Bouzouki is quite bulky to carry around. Therefore, a good idea would be to go for its smaller alternative. Baglamas or Baglamadaki is the perfect gift for any music lover. You can find musical instruments either in local shops on Adrianou Street and elsewhere in Plaka – one of the best Athens neighbourhoods to go souvenir shopping – or at Nakas, a music store with several branches across Greece.
8. Religious Icons
Orthodox Christianity is the most widespread religion in Greece and is strongly associated with Greek culture. Iconography is one of the arts that emerged since early Christianity with plenty of religious artworks standing out for their austere lines and symbolic colours.
Monasteries all over Greece, such as Meteora or the imposing Panagia Hozoviotissa in Amorgos, are great places to buy unique masterpieces depicting Jesus Christ, the Virgin Mary or a local patron saint. Besides portraits, religious icons also portray important scenes from the Old and New Testaments.
9. Greek Sculpture Replicas
We’re sure you have included seeing some great Ancient Greek sculptures in your Athens itinerary, but did you know that you can take a replica of a famous statue or monument back home with you? For Greek mythology and ancient history buffs, many an alabaster statue of famous Ancient Greeks or Olympian Gods await at the tourist shops of Plaka and Monastiraki and they’re among the best souvenirs from Greece.
10. Beauty Products
Olive oil and honey were among the natural ingredients Ancient Greeks used for skincare. Nowadays, several Greek cosmetics brands offer beauty products with olive oil, honey or herbal ingredients extracted from Greek nature, such as the famous olive oil soap.
Korres and Apivita are two pioneer brands with natural cosmetics in Greece. If you haven’t tried these Greek products yet, it’s a great opportunity to do so while in Greece. They would also make excellent gifts for your loved ones back home.
11. Antetokounbros T-Shirts
In Greece, we loved basketball way before Giannis Antetokounmpo reached the top of the NBA, the world’s leading basketball championship. But, now, we have one more reason to be proud of our basketball culture.
Giannis and his brothers started a fashion brand dedicated to brotherhood and solidarity. To support the local economy, they opened two stores in Greece, one at Athens Airport and one in Athens city centre, both ideal for basketball fans that visit Greece.
12. Jewellery
Jewels are among the best things to buy in Greece as they’re lightweight and easy to bring back home. From sterling silver Greek-themed bracelets or earrings you can find at stalls around Plaka and Thissio to various designs by local artists in posh neighbourhoods, jewellery is always a great idea either as a gift for someone else or a souvenir for you.
Greece has a rich history in jewellery making. Naxos Island gave birth to the famous Eye of Naxos, a natural jewel bringing good luck to its holder, whereas silversmithing is an art with a long-standing tradition, still going strong in Ioannina.
13. Greek Honey
From flower honey to excellent thyme honey, Greece produces honey of exceptional quality with nutritive elements that contribute to a balanced diet, good health and longevity. The Cyclades and the island of Crete are renowned for their aromatic thyme honey, Ikaria Island for the special heather honey called Anama and Evia Island for its pine honey.
Honey can replace sugar almost everywhere. You can use it in cooking, in desserts or as a spread on fresh bread. Always prefer to buy local honey from cooperatives as this is where you’ll find the best-quality honey. Sets of honey jars and honey spoons are the perfect Greek gifts for your close friends.
14. Kalamata Olives
Intertwined with Greek culture since ancient times, the olive tree is the national symbol of Greece. From Amfissa to Kalamata to Crete, the country produces a wide selection of delicious olives.
Just visit a supermarket, a farmer’s market, or the Athens Central Market and buy some olives to snack during your trip to Greece. On the other hand, a deli store is the best place to buy Greek olives packaged in a vacuum, ideal to bring back home.
Markets outside the city of Kalamata seldom sell Kalamata Olives. This is because the Kalamata Olive is a PDA product produced only in Kalamata. Similar olives produced elsewhere in Greece are called Kalamon instead. That’s the most common type you’ll find in markets around Greece. For a unique culinary experience with olive and olive oil products and tastings, we recommend visiting Kalamata while in Greece.
15. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil, known as Greece’s Liquid Gold, is yet another of the best souvenirs from Greece. A staple of Greek cooking, extra virgin olive oil is famous for its top quality and exquisite taste. There are several types of extra virgin olive oil in Greece, depending on their flavour that ranges from light to strong.
You can buy extra virgin Greek olive oil at any supermarket or local grocery store in Greece. That said, you might be better off at a deli shop where you can learn more about olive oil production and have a small sample before you shop, to ensure that the taste is to your liking.
16. Capers
Often among the ingredients in a Greek Salad, capers give that extra kick to Greek food. The caper buds are preserved in brine of salt and vinegar. You can use capers in salads, pasta and other dishes. The best capers to buy in Greece are from Santorini or any other Cycladic Island.
17. Spoon Sweets
Among the most typical Greek products, spoon sweets are fruit preserves that have been served as a favourite Greek dessert for decades. Especially in the past, a spoon sweet was the most common treat you’d be offered when visiting a Greek friend or relative. Besides fruit, spoon sweets can also be made with walnuts, tomatoes, eggplant or even rose petals.
Traditionally, spoon sweets are homemade and preserved with syrup in jars. You can buy a jar at a cooperative or shop with local products at any mountain village or island. Please your taste buds by topping Greek yoghurt with the spoon sweet of your choice, a delicious combination.
18. Greek Coffee
There’s an older-than-time debate as to the origin of this type of coffee. Is it Greek coffee? Or is it Turkish coffee? Well, when the people of two nations co-exist for four centuries, it’s hard to draw the line and say with certainty what’s Greek and what’s Turkish. But, in that case, we may have a definitive answer.
During the Ottoman occupation, alongside other things, Turkish coffee became a favourite among the Greek people who lived in the territories of modern-day Turkey. So much so that they brought their favourite coffee with them when they were forced to return to Greece after the mandatory population exchanges that took place in the 1920s.
In Greece, it was still called Turkish coffee until the 1960s when a Greek coffee brand pulled a massive marketing trick by promoting it as traditional Greek coffee. The rest is history.
Greek coffee is boiled in a coffee pot called Briki in Greek. It’s served in small cups, similar to those used for espresso coffee in Italy. As opposed to Western Europeans, Greeks take their time over a cup of steaming coffee, lazily enjoying every sip while chatting nonstop. You can buy Greek coffee at grocery stores or local coffee grinder shops like Rizopoulos in Athens city centre.
19. Greek Cheese
Feta Cheese is probably the most popular Greek cheese. However, it’s not easy to bring it back home as it’s perishable compared to other Greek cheese types. On the other hand, the best cheese to take back home is the Greek Gruyere called Graviera in Greek.
There are different types of Graviera, depending on the Greek region they’re produced in. Some of the most popular are Graviera from Amfilochia and Graviera from Naxos. You can buy Greek Graviera at any supermarket or deli shop.
20. Greek Pasta
Neighbouring Italy might be the birthplace of pasta, but there are also different varieties of Greek pasta. Makarounes from the Northern Aegean Islands, Sioufichta from Crete, Trachanas and Hilopites (or Chylopites) are only a few of several types of homemade pasta you can find at cooperatives and deli shops across the country.
21. Greek Delight
Loukoumi or Greek Delight is a delicacy that originated in the Middle East and the Arabs. It comes in various flavours such as rose, mastic or bergamot. Sometimes, it has almonds inside but not always. Syros Island has a long tradition of Greek Loukoumi making. The Loukoumi industry boomed on the island in the 19th century, making Syros known internationally.
Even if you’re not visiting the island, you can buy original Loukoumi from Syros on any ferry that calls at Syros Port. Once the ferry stops in Syros, Loukoumi sellers jump on the ferry holding massive baskets filled with Loukoumi and Halvadopites (nougat pies), securing as many sales as they can before hastily jumping off the ferry again, making sure they don’t end up on the next island.
If you don’t plan to travel to the Greek Islands by ferry though, you can find Greek Delight everywhere, the Athens Central Market included.
22. Greek Dried Herbs
Dried herbs are some of the essential ingredients of the best vegetarian dishes in Greece. As such, they are among the best souvenirs from Greece as they allow you to recreate your favourite Greek recipes back home.
Oregano, thyme and rosemary are the three main herbs used in Greek cuisine, one of the best cuisines in the world. You can find Greek herbs at any grocery store. In the Greek capital, the best places to buy Greek herbs or other spices are the Varvakeios Central Market and the shops along Evripidou Street.
23. Mastic Products
The medicinal properties of mastic were already known in Ancient Greece when Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, used mastic tears to cure digestive and breathing problems. Mastic comes from the mastic tree, also known as Pistacia Lentiscus. These trees have been growing on the Greek Island of Chios for centuries. With its 24 so-called mastic villages, Chios has deep roots in mastic cultivation and trade.
From mastic chewing gum to mastic-flavoured ice cream to superb mastic liqueur to the nostalgic spoon sweet called Ypovrichio (Greek for submarine), mastic has a prime position in Greek gastronomy. What’s more, there are also mastic-based cosmetics you can buy as unique souvenirs from Greece.
24. Greek Mountain Tea
Greek mountain tea, also known as Sideritis, is a herbal medicine that has been known to boost the immune system since ancient times. Thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, Greek mountain tea alleviates the symptoms and pains of several diseases.
Called Tsai Tou Vounou in Greek, you will find it dried in bags along with its stems and flowers at local markets or shops with organic products. To enjoy a cup of mountain tea and make the most of its health benefits, boil it in hot water and serve it straight or with honey and lemon.
25. Halva
Halva is a popular sweet that Greeks eat mainly during the Orthodox Easter Lent. There are three types of halva in Greece: Tahini Halva, Semolina Halva and Halva from Farsala. Our favourite is the tahini one and it’s the only type out of the three that you can bring back home as you can buy it in a sealed pack.
26. Greek Wine
With over 300 indigenous grape varieties, Greece is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world. Greek wines might not be as popular as their French or Portuguese counterparts. Yet, a bottle of flavourful Greek wine of high quality is a unique Greek souvenir.
Some of the most popular Greek grape varieties include Assyrtiko from Santorini and Agiorgitiko from Nemea. Nevertheless, there are lesser-known wine regions worth visiting such as Aigialeia in Northern Peloponnese and Kefalonia Island, famed for its Robola grape variety.
27. Ouzo
The famous Greek ouzo is an anise-flavoured aperitif served in a small glass with water and ice cubes. It goes well with meze dishes like olives, cheese and fava. The Greek Island of Lesvos produces the best ouzo in Greece. We recommend trying Ouzo Varvagiannis from Lesvos which you can buy at any liquor store throughout Greece.
However, several other places in Greece produce ouzo too, such as Karonis, a distillery we visited during our trip to Nafplio.
28. Tsipouro
Similar to ouzo, tsipouro is a strong alcoholic beverage distilled from grapes. Tsipouro can also be anise-flavoured but usually Greeks drink it pure. It’s served in shot glasses straight from the freezer and it’s paired with meze dishes.
The Macedonia and Thessaly regions in mainland Greece have a long tradition of tsipouro making. Plan a trip to Volos for an unparalleled experience at the city’s traditional Tsipouradika – no-frills eateries where tsipouro reigns.
Besides Thessaly, Crete is renowned for its tsipouro, too. Only that it’s called Tsikoudia or Raki there. Apart from a digestif after a meal at a Cretan taverna, Tsikoudia is also a symbol of hospitality in Crete.
29. Homemade Liqueurs
Apart from wine, ouzo and tsipouro, other alcoholic beverages you should try in Greece are the country’s homemade liqueurs. Some of the most famous are Mastic from Chios, Kumquat from Corfu and Citron from Naxos. If you only plan to visit Athens, Brettos Bar in Plaka is a great place to try – and buy – liqueurs made of anything you could imagine. You can also try their homemade ouzo and brandy there.
30. Greek Beer
Of course, Greece would produce its own beer, too. Apart from large beer names that you can find anywhere, like Alpha, Vergina, Fix, Mammos or Mythos (not our favourite), there are small breweries pretty much everywhere in Greece and it’s worth buying local beers from wherever it is you’re travelling in Greece.
The most amazing things you can bring back home from Greece aren’t actual things but the memories of the wonderful time you spent there, a unique gift to cherish for life. However, it never hurts to have a small reminder of your trip. Or you may want to buy presents for friends and family from Greece.
In either case, we hope this list of the best souvenirs from Greece helps you decide what to buy in Greece next time you visit our home country.
WORDS & IMAGES: Katerina
EDITING: Maria